Stutzman Applauds Common Sense Immigration Reform

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December 3, 2012 - 7:52am

Today, Congressman Marlin Stutzman (IN-03) issued the following statement on the passage of H.R. 6429, the STEM Jobs Act.

“The STEM Jobs Act keeps America competitive and opens new opportunities for job creators,” said Stutzman. “Today, the best and brightest students from across the world come to American universities to study. These engineers and scientists go on to start great companies and create new jobs along the way. Sadly, our old immigration policy squandered this opportunity by sending new graduates away instead of promoting growth and innovation here. We want these graduates creating jobs in America, not working for our competitors. This 21st century update realigns America’s immigration policy with traditional American priorities to maintain our country’s advantage in high-tech innovation, visionary entrepreneurship, and global competitiveness.”

The STEM Jobs Act eliminates the diversity lottery green card program and reallocates up to 55,000 green cards each year to foreign graduates of American universities with advanced science, technology, engineering, or mathematics(STEM) degrees. The legislation keeps families together, ensuring that husbands, wives, or children of STEM visa holders are able to stay with their loved ones until green cards to become available. The bill passed the House, despite Democratic opposition, on a vote of 245-139.

Congressman Stutzman represents the 3rd Congressional District of Indiana and serves on the House Committee on Agriculture, the House Committee on the Budget and the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. Indiana’s 3rd District contains all of DeKalb, Kosciusko, Lagrange, Noble, Steuben, and Whitley counties, as well as parts of Allen and Elkhart counties.